WASHINGTON — President Trump denied ordering a slowdown of the US-provided Starshield internet service to Ukraine’s military this week — pushing back on reports that the White House ordered the move in a mounting showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I didn’t do that. No, we didn’t do that at all. In fact, I don’t even think it was slowed down from what I understood. Because I just checked this morning,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House Friday afternoon for a campaign trip to Georgia.
“I heard about it from the news, the media. And we didn’t slow it down at all. And I think it’s probably functioning, from what I understand.”
Reuters reported on Thursday evening that the White House ordered the slowdown of the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink, citing two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter.
A congressional source confirmed the Reuters report to The Post, though an administration official said the White House gave no such instructions, attributing the move to “Pentagon freelancing.”
Trump and Zelensky are in a mounting spat after the US leader last Friday waived sanctions on Russian diesel to tamp down prices ahead of the election, after Zelensky flouted his request to stop drone attacks on oil refineries in Russia.
After Zelensky called the action “weak,” Trump on Saturday said “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.”
On Sunday, Trump unilaterally announced an “energy ceasefire” covering oil infrastructure. Zelensky initially complied, but resumed attacks on Russian refineries on Thursday, citing continuing Russian strikes on Ukraine.
